Cabinet Approves Rs 12,328 Crore Railway Projects Across Four States

The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved four Ministry of Railways projects worth about Rs 12,328 crore, aimed at boosting passenger and freight connectivity and reducing logistics costs.

Projects include:

• Deshalpar–Hajipir–Luna and Vayor–Lakhpat new lines in Gujarat
• Secunderabad (Sanathnagar)–Wadi 3^rd and 4^th line in Karnataka and Telangana
• Bhagalpur–Jamalpur 3^rd line in Bihar
• Furkating–New Tinsukia doubling in Assam

Together, these will add nearly 565 km to the rail network and benefit over five million people across 13 districts.

The Deshalpar–Hajipir–Luna and Vayor–Lakhpat line in Gujarat, with an outlay of Rs 2,526 crore, will add 145 route kilometres and 164 track kilometres. It is expected to be completed in three years and will connect remote parts of Kutch, including the Rann of Kutch, while boosting tourism to Dholavira, Koteshwar Temple, Narayan Sarovar and Lakhpat Fort. The scheme will also facilitate the transport of salt, cement, coal, clinker and bentonite, covering 866 villages and about 1.6 million people.

“The multi-tracking projects in Karnataka, Telangana, Bihar and Assam, with a combined cost of nearly Rs 9,800 crore, will enhance line capacity, ease congestion and improve operational efficiency,” an official statement said.

The Secunderabad–Wadi 3^rd and 4^th line (Rs 5,012 crore) will span 173 km and is slated for completion in five years. The Bhagalpur–Jamalpur 3rd line (Rs 1,156 crore) will cover 53 km in Bihar and take three years, while the Furkating–New Tinsukia doubling (Rs 3,634 crore) in Assam will cover 194 km and be completed in four years.

Officials say the projects will generate around 25.1 million person-days of employment during construction, benefiting 3,108 villages and 4.734 million people, including residents of one aspirational district (Kalaburagi in Karnataka).